Dear Readers,
A recent analysis by Zillow indicated women are more likely than
men to be unemployed, renters and caregivers during the coronavirus
pandemic, increasing their risk of becoming severely cost-burdened
by housing. No surprise there.
The COVID-19 pandemic, it seems, has been a major setback for
women. The coronavirus pandemic has interrupted the narrowing
of the gender gap, pushing women backward in housing and
employment.
According to Zillow, year-over-year unemployment claims are
10 times higher for women during this pandemic than what men
experienced in the Great Recession.
“Direct rental assistance and extending unemployment assistance
could help women cover housing payment obligations and keep
women afloat and in their homes for the time being,” Zillow Senior
Economist Cheryl Young said. “However, these are short-term fixes.
Longer-term solutions like creating more affordable housing stock,
economic policies that assist working parents, and increased voucher
availability, are vital to ensuring that housing burdens don’t fall
disproportionately on women.”
Women of color are even more likely to be cost-burdened by housing.
More than half (51 percent) of Latinx female renter households and 49
percent of Black female renter households are cost-burdened. More
than a quarter (27 percent) of both Hispanic and Black female renter
households are severely cost-burdened.
No recession delivers pain equally. But as we consider programs
and aid to help Americans severely impacted by COVID-19, let’s
remember the most vulnerable among us.
Mark Lowery
Editorial Director
The Title Report